Atlas (opera)
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Atlas is an opera in three acts composed by Meredith Monk who also wrote the libretto and choreographed the dances. It is scored for 18 voices and a small chamber orchestra which includes a shawm and a glass harmonica.[1] The story is very loosely based on the life and writings of the explorer Alexandra David-Néel, where "travel is a metaphor for spiritual quest and commitment to inner vision."[2] The story is told primarily through wordless vocal sounds with brief interjections of spoken text in Mandarin Chinese and English.
The opera was co-commissioned by Houston Grand Opera, the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, and the American Music Theater Festival in Philadelphia. It premiered at Houston Grand Opera on February 22, 1991.
Its premiere in Houston was followed by performances that same year in Philadelphia and Minneapolis. It subsequently toured in the U.S. and Europe and had its New York premiere in May 1992 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.[3][4][5]
In June 2019, the first performance of Atlas not directed by Meredith Monk herself was staged by director Yuval Sharon and the Los Angeles Philharmonic.[6]
Roles
| Role | Premiere Cast February 22, 1991 Conductor: Wayne Hankin |
|---|---|
| Alexandra, age 13 | Dina Emerson |
| Alexandra from 25-45 | Meredith Monk |
| Alexandra at 60 | Sally Gross |
| Mother | Wendy Hill |
| Father | Thomas Bogdan |
| Chen Qing | Chen Shi-Zheng |
| Franco Hartmann | Stephen Kalm |
| Erik Magnussen | Robert Een |
| Gwen St. Clair | Dana Hanchard |
